Physiology: Animal Function and Reproduction

Reproduction

What is hermaphroditism?

Hermaphroditic animals have both male and female reproductive systems. Hermaphroditism provides a means for animals to reproduce sexually without finding mates. For example, individuals in many species of tapeworms fertilize their own eggs. In other species such as earthworms, each individual serves as a male and female during mating, both donating and receiving sperm.